Pre-Columbian Cultures (8 days)

Details:

  • 8 days/7 nights
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Minimum: 2 persons

Includes:

  • Bilingual guide
  • Private A/C Transportation
  • Daily Breakfast and lunch
  • Daily dinner in the indigenous villages
  • Entrance fees to included attractions
  • Accommodations in selected hotel

What to Expect

Enjoy a close encounter with two of the largest Indigenous groups of Panama. The Embera and the Gunas.

Enjoy two days in a traditional Embera Village, submerged in the depths of National Park Chagres; and interact with this friendly, interesting and knowledgeable people.

Travel by train and explore the Caribbean side of the Canal and its brand new locks.

Then spend two nights in the land of the Gunas, swimming in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea and learning about this proud and decided people, who have led other indigenous groups to fight for their native rights.

Finish your experience with an interesting tour of Panama City and the Panama Canal. 

Photos

Itinerary

Day 1. Arrival in Panama

On this day a Dynamo Travel agent will be waiting for you upon your arrival at the International airport of Tocumen to welcome you and organize your transfer to your hotel in Panama City, a 25 minute ride, approximately.

Night at your hotel in Panama City

Day 2. The amazing Emberas

On this day our guide will pick you up early in the morning to take you on a 1 hour dive to the Chagres National Park, where the Emberas will be waiting for you to take you up to their village in their dugout canoes.

Enjoy the beautiful sceneries as you navigate up the Chagres River to reach this community, submerged in the middle of this lush rainforest.  Once in town, discover the well preserved culture of this knowledgeful and friendly people who will amaze you with their art, their music, their food but especially with their warmth. 

At night, watch as this tranquil town grows silent, leaving only the sounds of the Chagres River and the jungle to be heard.

Meals included – Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Night at the Embera village

Day 3. Embera Village / Caribbean world in Panama

After a traditional breakfast, you will say goodbye to your new friends and hop on a dugout canoe to travel back to civilization, but instead of going towards Panama City, you will travel to the Caribbean coast of Panama to enjoy the beauties of this interesting and green region.

Upon arrival, you will visit the protected area of San Lorenzo (UNESCO) and its famous Spanish castle, strategically located on a peninsula that protects the mouth of the Chagres River and the beginning of the “Camino de Cruces”, an important road used for centuries for the transportation of gold, silver and many other treasures from the “New World” back to Europe.

From here, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a delicious lunch at the Shelter Bay marina, located right at the entrance of the Panama Canal. 

Afterwards, you will visit the Neo Panama locks at Agua Clara, to have a close up view of one of the largest and most important mega projects from the 21st century.

Finish your day with a drive through the city of Colón, known during the 40’s as the “Cup of Gold” of Panama, on your way to the train station where you’ll begin an amazing ride along the shores of the Panama Canal, back to the city of Panama.

Meals included – Breakfast, lunch

Night at your hotel in Panama City

Day 4. Guna Yala – The San Blas Islands

This morning a Dynamo Travel agent will take you to the domestic airport in Albrook for your flight to San Blas.  After a 30 minute flight over beautiful and dense rainforest, you will arrive in the land of the Gunas and your local guides will transfer you by boat to your hotel in Guna Yala.

Upon arrival, you will check in and get ready for your first day of adventure in paradise.  The hotel offers two tours a day for their guests and you may choose from their list of activities such as snorkeling tours, exploring  a Guna community, visits to deserted islands, hikes in the forest, a visit to the Guna cemetery or traditional fishing.

Make your choice of tours for the day or stay at the hotel relaxing on the beach or snorkeling the reefs that surround the island.

Meals included – Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Night at the Hotel in San Blas

Day 5. San Blas

According to your tour selection, you will enjoy the company of our local hosts as you explore different regions this beautiful and interesting part of Panama.  The Gunas are very proud people who have fought for their native rights since Panama became an independent nation and have also oriented other tribes to do the same.  As a result, the three largest indigenous groups of Panama own their own territory, governed under their own traditional laws and regulations.  Don’t miss out on learning about this interesting and proud people while enjoying the beauties of this paradisiac land.

Meals included – Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Night at the Hotel in San Blas

Day 6. Return to Panama City – City and Canal tour

Early in the morning you will be taken to the domestic airport in San Blas for your flight back to Panama City.

Upon arrival you will start with the interesting Panama City and Canal tour, which takes you on a journey through time, from the 16th century to modern times. Visit the ruins of Panama Viejo (UNESCO), the first and most important city founded by the Spaniards on the Pacific coast of America in 1519, then walk through our picturesque Colonial Quarter (UNESCO), also founded by the Spaniards in the 17th century after the destruction of Panama Viejo during the attack of pirate Henry Morgan in 1671.

Here we’ll make a stop for you to enjoy a delicious Panamanian lunch before heading to Miraflores Locks to get a close look at the Panama Canal’s operations.

Learn about the historical events which, due to Panama’s coveted geographical position, have repeated themselves throughout our history: the movement of people and goods, from one corner of the world to another, through the narrowest path between the seas.

Meals included – Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Night at the Hotel in San Blas

Day 7. Transfer to international airport

At the appropriate time a Dynamo Travel representative will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the international airport of Tocumen, for your flight back home.

Meals included – Breakfast

Map

Tour Highlights

  • Enjoy the rich cultures of Panama
  • Snorkeling and bathing in the Caribbean
  • The Panama Canal and the Colonial City
  • Amazing rainforest and wildlife
  • Swimming in the Chagres river

What to bring:

  • Fresh clothes
  • Sun protection
  • Camera
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Backpack
  • Raingear
  • Water